Tennis-Kyrgios hits back at Hewitt after United Cup withdrawal

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - ATP Finals Turin - Pala Alpitour, Turin, Italy - November 14, 2022 Australia's Nick Kyrgios in action during the group stage doubles match against Britain's Neal Skupski and Netherlands' Wesley Koolhof REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

(Reuters) - Nick Kyrgios said Australian co-captain Lleyton Hewitt threw him "under the bus" after his decision to withdraw from the United Cup mixed teams tournament to be in top condition for next month's Australian Open.

World number 22 Kyrgios, who enjoyed a superb 2022 winning the Australian Open men's doubles title and finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final, pulled out of the joint ATP and WTA event on Wednesday with an injury.